Thank you @taokat it sounds like you have been through this too. It has certainly been a very trying time but we are starting to see some improvement which is positive. The right medication/combination has not been found yet but they changed her night meds yesterday and speaking to her this morning she seems to be better - but time will tell. She is certainly in the right place and the doctors and nurses who work in AAU's should be highly commended for a great job they do.
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Thank you @Sally-RO it’s so good to feel there is someone out there to reach out to. I’ve just spoken to my parents overseas and broke down. I’m feeling the pain for my daughter and they are feeling the pain for me. She is certainly in the right place. Thanks for letting me know about SCS - I will certainly be contacting them. Thanks again 🙏
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Thank you so much @Sally-RO I’ll certainly be contacting Suicide Call Back Service. I’m feeling a tad better pouring it out to my parents overseas. They are feeling for me as I am feeling for my girl
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My daughter is 15, nearly 16, and has had anxiety & depression for the last 3 years and trialing various antidepressants for the last two. She self harms and has made 3 suicide attempts in the last 3 months. She is now in an Adolescent Acute Unit and came out last night for home leave but it was a disaster and we ended up taking her back early. I just feel so sick & empty at the moment, she keeps phoning but it’s best I stay away for a day or so. I’m heartbroken and need a shoulder to cry on. My friends are great but I need to communicate someone who is going through or been through what I’m going through 😔
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Hi @taokat Thanks for your kind words. My daughter is 15 now (this was an old post) and sounds just like your daughter. We have finally found an excellent psychiatrist at the BDI who is closely monitoring and modifying her medication. She is also seeing a psycologist for DBT and Interpersonal Therapy. It's still early days but after an agonising 18 months we feel like we are getting somewhere. Thank you for sharing your story, it has given me some comfort.
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Taenoogie: Well that made me feel great!! Thanks for expressing your views and making me feel like the worse parent ever. I am doing everything I can to keep my daughter going and if it means finding the right medication, which I am still doing, then that’s what I will do. You can not compare mental illness to cancer. Please keep your options to yourself in future as I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been upset by this.
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Well that made me feel great!! Thanks for expressing your views and making me feel like the worse parent ever. I am doing everything I can to keep my daughter going and if it means finding the right medication, which I am still doing, then that’s what I will do. You can not compare mental illness to cancer. Please keep your options to yourself in future as I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been upset by this.
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Thank you @taokat @TOM-RO and @Big_Crab for your response, it really meant a lot especially in my hour of need. I normally cope OK but yesterday was a bad day and it escalated and ended up with me taking my daughter to Emergency. I had to break into the bathroom to stop her self harming, she was out of control - screaming at me and my husband, physically attacking me, saying she wanted to kill herself, she was done - she could not go on. The hospital were fantastic and I would recommend to anyone in that situation to go there. She went straight into Acute Care where they calmed her down (and me - I was in pieces by then). She saw the mental health nurse who was amazing, really gave her some good coping mechanisms. She has also been subscribed medication for when she feels things are getting out of control. I'm a little bit phased as her psyciatrist had perscribed the same one as a sleeping aid not as a calming mechanism. Anyway she is so much better today. And with regards to self care for myself - which I know is so important - I find mindfulness such a help and a good walk with my dog. I really wasn't coping yesterday and I think that may have impacted the situation but we can't all be good all of the time. Thank you everyone. Will keep you posted xx
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The last year has got progressively worse. She now self harms, missed so much school this year, has Tried various medications (I have now taken her off antidepressants as they don't seem to work for her) and she is seeing a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Nothing seems to work. I recently took her away for a week to get her away from everything (and everyone) - she was ok while we were away but of course as soon as we get back everything goes back to the way it is. I know there isn't a magic answer but I just wanted to put it out there and hopefully get some tips from other parents.
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I will definitely try & get my daughter on the forum. When we were overseas (we don't have any family here) & she met with older teen relatives it really helped. The medication has helped - she even hugged me the other day & told me how happy she is - but since has had a low again (to be expected) - talking to others on the forum would certainly help :)
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Thanks so much. Vast improvements this week. Our GP subscribed her with the required medication and I've noticed a considerable change. I think it's someone other than me & her pyscologisy taking her seriously that has helped more than anything. Onwards & upwards :)
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Thank you Waldo-P it is really reassuring to hear that your son responded so well on the meds & is doing so well. i know my normal gp will prescribe them for my daughter and we are going to go ahead. It's so heartbreaking when I pick her up from school and she's close to breaking down and saying she can't go on like this. Seeing her wonderful counsellor tomorrow - yes it is all about rapore & trust) so hopefully she will be feeling a bit better after seeing her and then we will go to the GP Thanks again
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Thank you for your response & support. She had been messaging me all day telling me how bad she feels & has come home from school & wont talk to me about it. Hopefully she can see her councelor again on Thursday and she will put us in touch with a psychiatrist. It's all such a waiting game. It's so annoying as her councellor, after talking to her, understands her needs. i have been in touch with Headspace in the past and they have been very helpful but she won't speak to them. I'm at my wits end & very worried but must stay strong for her.
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My 14 year old daughter has been seeing a counsellor, who I really like & trust and so does my daughter, and she has said that my daughter is very depressed and advised that we see the GP to get her onto antidepressants. The GP at the medical centre wouldn't prescribe them and just said she needed more sleep & to eat better. This really upset my daughter as she thinks now body understands how she feels, that she is making it up & wasting their time (a classic symptom of being depressed). Her counsellor wants to refer her to an adolescent psychiatrist to obtain medication.
I want to do anything I can to help my daughter but I'm just worried about her taking antidepressants at such a young age.
Any thoughts or experiences others teens have had on antidepressants? Thanks
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